Cox Communications is in "advanced talks" to acquire the enterprise business of fiber provider Segra from EQT in a deal that could be valued at more than $3 billion, including debt,
Bloomberg reported.
The deal, which could be announced as early as this week, is likely to combine the Segra unit with Cox Business, the report added, noting that Charlotte, North Carolina-based Segra intends to hold onto its residential business.
Segra, formed by EQT through the combination and rebranding of Lumos Networks and Spirit Communications, operates about 1 million fiber-strand miles and 30,000 fiber-route miles stretching from Georgia to Pennsylvania, with a focus on SONET, IP, Ethernet and dark fiber architectures. The company also touts 10,400 on-net locations and nine data centers, but doesn't break out what portion is tied to its enterprise and residential businesses.